Dear Diary.....

​We're getting personal here!

SUPER LONG RANT: Unless you're into politics, skip it. I am also not going to engage any arguing. I am simply stating my own thoughts and feelings on my own page, which I have every right to do. I don't comment or fight when I see things I don't agree with. I keep scrolling. I won't tell YOU how to think, don't tell ME how to think. There is room in the world for more than one set of beliefs, even if mine may differ from yours, and vice-versa.

Wow. It's really sad when a person gets crucified for sticking by their convictions rather than "playing it safe", or "falling into line." I have had SO many people criticize me and even call me names because I am not jumping on the Hillary train.

There's a reason people aren't doing this...Many reasons, actually. The main reason? Well, we can't simply give up and support someone that represents everything we've been fighting against. We've done our research, as HRC herself requested, and we did not like what we have learned. I'm not talking e-mails or Benghazi or Republican rhetoric. I'm talking bad decisions, over and over, that prove not only intent, but poor judgement, time and time again. We want a leader who can be counted on to make the RIGHT decision the FIRST time, when it matters most. Not someone who has to constantly apologize for "mistakes" or "mis-speaking". Mistakes can be disastrous, especially in an increasingly global society, so there's no room for constant, costly errors.

We're taught from the time we're children to always fight for what we believe in...We're taught that good should always prevail over evil...We're taught that nothing worth having ever comes easily...That if something is worth fighting for, we should never, ever give up.

Is this no longer the case?

Should people stop fighting, stop caring, simply because the deck is stacked against them? Should hope be abandoned when it's needed the most?

David beat Goliath...Daniel went into the Lion's Den...You don't give up at the 2 minute warning. FDR walked out of a Contested Convention as the Democratic Nominee, even though he was not expected to do so. Games are changed in the last moments of the 4th quarter. Underdogs can emerge as victors in the last seconds of the game.

What if "playing it safe" isn't safe AT ALL? What if your so-called "safe" option will bring very negative things, like a no-fly zone over Syria that will likely result in military conflict with Russia....Do we REALLY need to elect someone that will guarantee more war? Who views war as a "business opportunity"? Can we really afford more wars when we have bridges and roads in disrepair, children and vets homeless and hungry, and an increasingly unstable social climate because people are lacking hope, education, and opportunity? If we can afford more interventionist wars, we can surely afford to fix our very broken system here at home, right? Oh. Wait. There's no immediate profit in this. The profit comes from war. Right. (eye roll)

What if your "safe" option will clear the way for the TPP, which will likely have devastating effects on the American people? Sure, your "safe" option claims to be against the TPP...But she hasn't always. She called it the "Gold standard" not very long ago...Now she's suddenly against it. This is lip service, folks. Please note, in the current democratic platform, they are not opposing the TPP, and there is no language that expresses an anti-TPP sentiment. None. If your "nominee" was truly against this, wouldn't that be included in the party platform? Hmm....Something to think about.

What if your "safe" option will advocate for worldwide fracking? Again, while some climate related issues were addressed in the party platform, it continues to support fracking, which has been proven to have devastating effects on the environment. Why is this? Well, follow the money. It's not hard to see who has donated to which candidate, whether as a campaign contribution, speaking fee, or a donation to a "foundation", and where this money originates from. Thanks to Citizens United, this money shapes the decisions made, and this is blatantly obvious when looking at the democratic platform that is being put into place.

What if your "safe" option has a history of saying one thing and doing something entirely different?Saying someone supports minorities while calling them "super-predators" and supporting a for-profit prison system that targets POC isn't support...I don't care what kind of hot sauce is in your purse. Your record, words, and treatment of others says something completely different. The smug refusal to address such issues when confronted with them speaks volumes, too.

What if this "safe" option is willing to say whatever is needed to a particular audience, and then change their tune when they meet with a different demographic of voters? Whether it's talk about the tragedy in Flint, the plights of WV coal miners, or the claims of carrying hot sauce in a handbag, it's all pandering, and none of it means a damn thing.

The biggest farce, in my opinion, is this: We are told to fear Trump. Yes, Trump is an AWFUL, HORRIBLE, DESPICABLE human being. There's no argument there. He has absolutely no business holding a power position. I will NEVER vote for Trump. We can all agree on this. But is a vote for Clinton REALLY that different than a vote for Trump? I don't think so, for several reasons.

For one, and this is the most obvious reason, we are fighting against the damage that unprecedented corporate greed has done to our nation. So why then should we choose between someone who works for the corporations and someone who IS the corporation? Why should we accept this, when both of our choices serve the same master, the almighty dollar, with little regard to what happens to ordinary, working class citizens?

Not to mention, Trump and the Clintons have a LONG and friendly relationship. They have been to social functions together...Play golf together...Donald and the Clintons even share a physical address in Delaware for the sole purpose of avoiding taxes. Sure, Trump says his "Crooked Hillary" stuff, but it's all part of the game. Once this is over and done with, they'll be back to being buddy-buddy again, as they have been for decades.

Yes, Clinton claims to be LGBTQ friendly...but that's only in the past few years. Since 2013, I believe. Is that really a lifetime commitment to equality? I don't think so. As the proud parent of a gay teen, this bothers me. I'd rather stick with the guy who has fought for our LGBTQ community his entire life, not just when it became "cool" or politically expedient.

Yes, Clinton may be better for women's issues than Trump. That's not hard to do, and I suspect even my crazy neighbor who walks around his yard naked treats women better than Trump. We can do better than this, folks.Yes, I understand that SCOTUS seats will likely be up for grabs...Do I really think Trump should have that responsibility? Nope. Of course not. Am I optimistic that Hillary will seat any true Progressives? Nope. Not at all. That would betray the interests of her corporate owners, now wouldn't it?

YES, Trump is loud, obnoxious, vocal, and spews absolute bullshit. We're afraid that Trump will lead us into more war...We're worried that Trump will treat minorities like garbage...We're worried that Trump will serve the rich while hanging the rest of us out to dry. These are legitimate fears....

But don't you see? All of the things we fear about Donald Trump are things Hillary already has quite the record of doing. She's not as loud...She's not as blatant...But her record speaks for itself. She supports war for profit, prisons for profit, and she serves her corporate donors rather than the middle class. Do your research. You'll see that this is fact. I can provide a wealth of links, if you'd like, including links to her leaked e-mails and other Ghostbin and Pastebin files you won't see in MSM.

There is a REASON the corporate owned media, in collusion with the DNC, has been shoving Clinton down our throats. There's a REASON Bernie Sanders has been attacked, and has basically been part of a media blackout. There's a REASON they hate him so....A GOOD reason...He is working for US...Not for THEM. And it scares the shit out of them.

Also, there is increasing evidence that Clinton CANNOT beat Trump. Her numbers continue to plummet, even with Bernie's "endorsement". Which let's face it, was clearly a chess move and not sincere. Otherwise, he would have conceded or suspended his campaign, which he did NOT. He's merely protecting his position at the convention, and had to do something I'm sure he was sick over.

Do I LIKE the fact that Bernie “endorsed” Clinton? No. It make me sick. Physically ill. I cried my eyes out. For about an hour, I felt betrayed. Then I thought about it...Bernie did what he HAD to do to protect US. He fell on his own sword for the sake of the PEOPLE. He did what he had to do, even though it was clear he was very uncomfortable. He had to do it to stay in the race and play by the rules. This man has no ego. It’s not about HIM, it’s about US. You simply don’t get more selfless than that.

Polls are showing Clinton either TIED with Trump, or Trump BEATING Clinton by a margin of about 5 points. These same polls still show that BERNIE can beat Trump, and beat him quite comfortably. (10+ points) This is clearly the year of "anti-establishment" politics...So why would anyone expect that we close our eyes to a corrupt and broken system and support an establishment that's been screwing us all? We're NOT going back to sleep. We won't give them the complacency they were counting on. It matters far too much.

The DNC seems so confused by this...I find it funny. Did they REALLY expect Bernie's supporters, who have done their research, to fall into line and flock to Hillary, one of the least trusted politicians in recent history? After insulting us, suppressing our votes, and committing rampant election fraud, did they really expect us to turn a blind eye and support her? ESPECIALLY when there are still multiple lawsuits and investigations taking place? No, you may not hear much about them on MSM, and that's intentional. But they are happening, and the results could be damning.

No, we're NOT flocking to Clinton. We're #StillSanders until he's officially out of the race. We believe in Bernie, and know that he's got the wisdom and foresight to play the game and make the best decisions for US. Every bad decision we've made in the past 20-30 years, there's a video somewhere showing Bernie trying to prevent it...Even when he stood alone to do so. He's not alone anymore. Bernie Sanders will NEVER be alone again.

In the meantime, some interesting things are taking place. Bernie is still playing by the rules, so he isn't at liberty to say much as far as his intentions go. But here are some interesting facts that may help us understand what's happening and where we need to go from here:

-While Bernie endorsed, he did NOT suspend or concede, and he's calling for ALL of his 1900 delegates to show up in Philly to vote for HIM. He's also encouraging people to show up in Philly en masse. He has a plan, and that plan likely depends on US. They can ignore Bernie...He's just one man...But can they ignore the collective voices of MILLIONS? I don't think so.

- Jill Stein of the Green Party has offered the top spot on the Green ticket to Bernie. Should he NOT emerge the Democratic nominee, he has an option to be on the ballot, anyway. The Green Party platform is VERY similar to Bernie's, with the exception of positions on drones and student debt. Bernie wants people to be able to refinance debt at lower rates, and Stein wants to cancel them out completely. Jill Stein has wonderful ideas, and I think a Sanders/Stein ticket could be a very successful and VIABLE one.

-Staying on the topic of Jill Stein, Sanders supporters are flocking to HER rather than Hillary. Jill's donations have increased by 1,000%+, and her social media following has exploded in just a few days. I actually donated to Stein, myself, although I am still with Bernie. People are arguing that a vote for Stein is equal to a vote for Trump....But is it really? Bernie started out in this race polling at a mere 3%. Jill Stein is above that, and continues to grow her support. Millions of disenfranchised voters are unhappy with the choices they're being given. Why choose between 2 great evils when you don't HAVE to? Both Clinton and Trump are quite hated, and this gives Stein the potential to become a VIABLE candidate, and quickly. The people are demanding better, and they're not sticking with a 2-party system that is failing us all. Jill Stein COULD actually become a threat here, and I look forward to seeing it happen.

-More about Stein. Sorry, this is relevant to Bernie, I promise! Jill Stein recently received an endorsement from Bernie's right hand man, Dr. Cornel West. This happened BEFORE the convention for a REASON. Bernie cannot speak to us plainly at the moment. Perhaps he's using his surrogates, such as Cornel West, to get a message to us about the direction we should be heading. SO many of us have given our support to Stein, and this puts pressure on the DNC and backs them into a corner during the convention. Their plan backfired. They assumed we'd support Hillary if Bernie endorsed her. Well, that's not happening. As Bernie has said himself, Hillary will need to EARN our votes...She has not done so. People are seeking out different options, and the DNC is put in a very bad spot. So please, LIKE Jill Stein...Send her a few dollars...These small actions make a HUGE statement.

-Jill Stein is arriving in Burlington, VT today, and will be staying in the state for 6 days. She has 2 events, one today, and one next Thursday. Why stay in Bernie's home state for 6 WHOLE DAYS, right before the DNC? Hmm....Maybe there are some meetings going on that we're not privy to at the moment.

- Nina Turner and Jill Stein will be participating in the same event in Philly right before the convention. Yes. You read that correctly. NINA TURNER, a STRONG Bernie supporter,and my Senator from the great state of Ohio, will be holding an event with JILL STEIN in Philly. The next day, Bernie will have his own, non-Hillary rally. Hmmm.....

Basically, folks, this is the part of the Revolution when Bernie needs US to carry him. He needs OUR voices, OUR actions, to send a clear message to the Democratic party. He needs us to show the following things:

We will NOT settle for the lesser of 2 evils.

We will NOT follow him to Hillary. It's not about party, it's about voting for what's RIGHT.

Hillary is NOT the strongest candidate to defeat Trump. She never has been, and this still rings true.

We are NOT afraid to jump ship and support a 3rd party candidate who represents US rather than corporate greed.